Lamp construction



oct 14, 1941- P. N. GARDNER 2,259,416

LAMP coNsTRuoToN Filed Das. 19, 1940 @Moz/muy.

Patented oef. 14, 1941 LAMP ooNsTRUo'rIoN Paul Norris Gardner, Bethesda, Md., assigner to Mer-Q-Ree Incorporated, Bethesda, Md., a corporation of Maryland Application December 19, 1940, serial No. 370,8*12

6 Claims.

This invention relates to luminous devices, and is concerned with the provision'of improved lamp structures of the type wherein a fluorescent or phosphorescent coating carried by an outwardly visible member thereof may be rendered luminous by exitation by light from a primary source of light contained within, or carried by, the lamp structure.

Luminous lamp devices of the type above referred to are broadly old, having been described in, among others, the Dodds Patents 1,275,871, 1,275,872 and 1,312,312, and are typified by a battery lamp modified by the imposition of a layer of fluorescent or luminescent material upon the glass closure or lens of the4 lamp. In

making use of such lamps, the electric circuit when closed lights an incandescent lamp bulb and the light from the latter excites or activates the fluorescent material causing the same to glow, Such excitation of the fluorescent material need continue for onlyy a matter of a minute (more or less), whereafter the electric current may be broken, while the fluorescent material continues to glow for a matter of .two to four hours. When the fluorescence of the material diminishes the fluorescent material may be re-excited by brief exposure to light from the electric lamp.

However, for blackout purposes, the neces,- sary lighting of the electric .lamp for re-exciting the fluorescent material creates a disadvantage, in that during its actuation the latter yieldsreal illumination which is undesirable.

An object of the present invention is the pro- Whose circuit-closing and opening means functions to close and open an opaque diaphragm lo- ,cated in front of the fluorescent material-carrying member of the device.

These, and other, objects and novel features of vthe invention will be more fully disclosed by the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a ashlamp embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is an end view thereof,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevationV of a modified form of the invention,

Figure'4 is an end view thereof,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of another modification,

Figure 6 is an end View thereof, and

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a further modification. I

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, I0 indicates a battery operated flashlamp includingan incandescent lamp bulb II mounted in the end I2 of the casing within a reflector I 3. A anged clamping ring I4 threaded on the casing part I2 secures a transparent lens plate or cover glass I5 in position in front of the reflector I3 and bulb II.

A layer of fluorescent or phosphorescent material I6 is carried on the inner surface of the lens plate I5 so that it will be visible through the plate I5 and positioned to be activated and rendered luminous upon energization of the light bulb I5 upon closing of the lamp switch II as will be readily understood.

For the purpose of preventing escape of lightA rays upon energization of the bulb II, a pivoted opaque cover plate or baille plate I8 is mounted on the ring I4. The plate IS, which is preferably made of sheet. metal, is mounted on a ring I9 carried by the clamping ring I4, being pivotally secured thereto by a headed pivot pin Ztl in the form of a rivet.` The pivot 20 passes through the plate I8 adjacent the edge thereof so that the plate may swing in its own plane to a position clear of the glass plate I5:

In using this form of the invention as a black-- outA lamp, the plate I8 is swung to the position shown over the glass plate I5 and the switch I7 is operated to energize the lamp bulb II. The

`light from the bulb II will excite the uorescent layer IG but theV rays therefrom will not be visible outside because the opaque plate I8 prevents emission thereof. After a briel` interval, the switch Il is operated to extinguish the lamp bulb `II `and the plate I8'is swung onV its pivot to the dotted line position so that the luminous layer I6 will-be visible.

Referring to the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the shutter plate I I8 instead of being pivoted to swing in its own plane is hinged at |20 on the carrier YTing IIS mounted on the lens plate clamping ring II4. It. will be understood thatV the reflector mounting part II2 and other shutter plate ||8.

conventional parts of the lamp may be the same as shown in Fig. 1.

For mounting the hinged shutter ||8, a filler sector plate |2| is rigidly mounted on the ring 4 and a biasing spring |22 is associated with the hinge to bias the shutter to the dotted line open position in which the cover glass is exposed to view.

Means are provided for closing the shutterplate I8 automatically when the lamp bulb is energized to re-excite the luminous body thereon and to prevent actuation of the switch to energize the bulb when the shutter is in other than closed position. This means comprises a reciprocable rod |23 extending coaxially within the casing of the lamp ||0 and connected at |24 with the sliding button switch of the lamp. The rod |23 extends forward from the button and at its forward end |25 extends through an opening in the sector plate |2| adjacent the hinge |20 to engage a projecting shoulder |26 carried by the The shoulder |26 extends at right angles from the plate ||8 at the hinge and engages the sector plate to act as a stop when the shutter swings out to the open dotted line position. When the shutter is in this position, the shoulder |26 overlies the end of the rod |23 acting as a stop to prevent shifting of the rod outwardly until the shutter is moved to the closed position.

As seen in Fig. 3, when the button switch is moved to the on position, shown in full lines, the end |24 of the rod in moving from a retracted position flush with the sector plate engages the shoulder |26 to swing the plate ||8 to the closed light-intercepting position before the lamp is illuminated. The end |24 then prevents opening of the shutter until the rod is retracted by moving the switch button to o position, whereupon the spring |22 t'hrows the shutter |I8 to open position.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs.

5 and 6, the operating rod 223 attached to the to extinguish the bulb, the shutter will be opened by reason of retraction of the rod 223.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 7 ls particularly adaptable to use with lamps which are situated in a position remote from the operator, such as the head or tail lamps of a motor vehicle, or the like. In this embodiment, the lamp 3|0 is provided with a bulb'3ll adapted to be energized by current from a battery 350 upon closure of switch 3 It is understood that this lamp is equipped with a reflector for the bulb 3|| and a glass lens plate bearing a luminous coating similar to the coating I6 `on the lens plate I5.

A shutter plate 3|8 mounted by a pivot pin 32D on the lamp casing 3H) is provided with an operating arm 328 projecting from the edge thereof. The operating arm 328 is provided with a slot 321 in which is engaged the end of a reciprocable operating rod 323 actuated by a solenoid 35| connected in series with the lamp 3| l. The solenoid 35| is rigidly mounted on a stationary part of the lamp or support on which the lamp is mounted and the armature rod 323 is normally projected to shutter opening position by a spring 352. It will be evident that with the parts in the dotted line position, closing of the switch 3|`|`to energize the lamp bulb 3|| will also close the circuit through the solenoid 35| to retract the armature 323 and swing the shutter 3|8 on the pivot 320 to the light-intercepting position over the face of the lamp, as shown in full lines.

Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described by way of illustration, it will be understood that various other modifications and changes in the details of construction and operation of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A self-luminous lamp construction comprising a--cainghaving anopening therein, an electric lamp mounted in said casing, means for mounting a body of fluorescent material in said casing visible through said opening and positioned to be activated by light from said electric lamp, switch means for controlling energization of said electric lamp, a shutter carried by said casing shiftable from and to a closed position over said opening to intercept light rays from said lamp when the latter is energized to'activate said fluorescent material, and means for preventing actuation of said switch means to tric lamp, switch means for controlling energization of said electric lamp, a shutter carried by said casing shiftable from and to a closed position over said opening to intercept light rays from said lamp, and means operable to shift said shutter to closed position over said opening upon actuation of said switch means to energize said lamp.

3. A self-luminous lamp construction comprising a casing having an opening therein, an electric lamp mounted in said casing, means for mounting a body of fluorescent material in said casing visible through said opening and positioned to be'activated by light from said electric lamp, a pivoted shutter carried by said casing adapted. to swing from a closed light intercepting position over said opening to an extended position free of said opening, a switch including a movable member for controlling energization of said electric lamp, and means connecting said movable member and said shutter to swing the latter to light intercepting position when said switch is actuated to energize said electric lamp.

4. A self -luminous lamp construction comprising a casing having an opening therein, an electric ,lamp mounted in said casing, means for mounting a body of fluorescent material in said casing visible through said opening and positioned to be activated by light from said electric lamp, a pivoted shutter carried by said casing adapted to swing from a closed light intercepting position over said opening to an extended position free of said opening, a switch including 4a movable member for controlling energization ber adapted to engage said shoulder to swing i of said electric lamp, and means including a link connected between said shutter and said movable member for swinging said shutter to closed position when said switch is operated to energize said electric lamp and to swing said shutter to extended position when said switch is operated to extinguish said electric lamp.

5. A self-luminous lamp construction comprising a casing having an opening therein, an electric lamp mounted in said casing, means for mounting a body of fluorescent material in said casing visible through said opening and posi-` biasing said shutter to extended position,

a switch including a movable member for controllingenergization of said electric lamp, and a shiftable rod connected to said movable memsaid shutter to closed position when said switch is operated to energize said electric lamp and to release said shutter when said switch is operated to extinguish said electric lamp.

6. A self-luminous lamp construction comprising a casing having an opening therein, an electric lamp mounted in said casing, means for mounting a body of iluorescent material in said casing visible through said opening and positioned to be activated by light from said electric lamp, switch means for controlling energization of said electric lamp, a shutter carried by said casing shiftable from and to a closed position over said opening to intercept light rays from said lamp, a solenoid connected in series with said electric lamp,nand a connection from said solenoid to said shutter operable to shift said shutter to closed position over said opening upon actuation of said switch means to close the circuit to said lamp and solenoid.

PAUL NORRIS GARDNER. 

